The Associação Brasileira de Apoio e Desenvolvimento da Arte-Capoeira (ABADÁ-Capoeira), in English translated as "The Brazilian Association for the Support and Development of the Art of Capoeira",ABADÁ-Capoeira, San Francisco. (21 July 2009) "International Affiliation" . ABADÁ-Capoeira Overview. Retrieved 21 July 2009. is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to spread and support Brazilian culture through the practice of capoeira.ABADÁ-Capoeira. (26 June 2006) "O que é ABADÁ". ABADÁ-Capoeira. Retrieved 22 July 2009. Founded in 1988 by Mestre Camisa, José Tadeu Carneiro Cardoso, ABADÁ is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is one of the largest capoeira organizations in the world with over 41,000 membersLopez, Corey. "ABADÁ-Capoeira at Ethnic Dance Festival". San Francisco Chronicle (24 June 2008): E-1. Retrieved 18 July 2008. https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/ABAD-Capoeira-at-Ethnic-Dance-Festival-3279159.php representing schools throughout every state of Brazil as well as 30 countries."Capoeira-Abadá [sic] represents maybe the largest capoeira group to date, counting 20,000 members in 1996, and 25,000 in 1998, spread over 25 Brazilian states and 16 countries in five continents." From Assunção (2005, p.194) ABADÁ is distinguished from other capoeira organizations by its worldwide growth as well as its style, standards, and philosophy.
Style, standards, and philosophy
Style "ABADÁ-Capoeira prides itself on the originality and constant refinement of its style of capoeira, renown [sic] for its efficiency, aesthetics, and its cultural and historical relevance", explains ABADÁ-Capoeira San Francisco.ABADÁ-Capoeira, San Francisco. (21 July 2009) "ABADÁ Style". ABADÁ-Capoeira Overview. Retrieved 21 July 2009. Part of the contemporary renaissance of capoeira,"Currently the expression capoeira contemporânea is more widely used to designate all 'hybrid' styles." From Assunção (2005, p.199). ABADÁ-Capoeira seeks to incorporate the practices of the two main branches of the art, Capoeira Regional and Capoeira Angola. Its instruction embraces the fundamental customs of the time-honored art while at the same time engaging the modernizing advances of recent Mestres, in particular Mestre Bimba. An aluno formado of Mestre Bimba, Camisa "developed his own philosophy and methodology for teaching capoeira by following the innovative concepts of his teacher, the great master of Capoeira Regional, Bimba. Mestre Camisa's vision for ABADÁ-Capoeira has been to create an organization that strives to move forward by keeping one foot in the past and one foot in the future, maintaining tradition while adapting to society's changes".
Standards
As explained by ABADÁ-Capoeira San Francisco: ABADÁ-Capoeira believes that the study of capoeira involves dedication to all the various aspects of the art, emphasizing in particular the relentless pursuit of technical mastery of the physical elements of capoeira and the constant evolution of the technique to improve efficiency and prevent injury. Equally important is the understanding of and reverence for capoeira's rich history, including the preservation and recovery of the instruments, rhythms, and games of capoeira, individual competency in and knowledge of the game’s music and instruments, and participation in the larger capoeira community in Brazil and throughout the world.
As this last suggests, ABADÁ-Capoeira expresses itself not only as an athletic endeavor but also as a holistic practice that helps individuals develop as members of society at large.
Philosophy As described by ABADÁ-Capoeira New York City, ABADÁ-Capoeira incorporates a multi-leveled philosophy aimed at sustaining the development of capoeira through its members as well as utilizing capoeira as tool for individual and communal growth.ABADÁ-Capoeira, New York. (24 April 2006) "Philosophy". About ABADÁ. Retrieved 22 July 2009. At its base, the school stresses the "relentless pursuit of the technical mastery of capoeira, at both the student and instructor levels". Training provides a solid foundation in the art’s movements and principles, promoting discipline as well as physical and mental awareness. Ongoing training recognizes the transformation of the student into a teacher as she or he progresses through various stages of development and returns his or her learned experience to the group. This process helps maintain the original value systems of the early capoeira masters, their culture and their life experiences, as the cycle of learning continues. At the same time, a dialogue opens by which the "teacher" is also informed and instructed by the "student" as the student marks her or his own personal achievements as a capoeirista.
Just as important, ABADÁ-Capoeira promotes capoeira as an artistic and cultural resource, as well as a valuable pedagogic tool. A holistic approach to all aspects of the art and its traditions, in particular the songs and instruments, helps maintain a firm connection to its Brazilian heritage. At the same time, ABADÁ-Capoeira promotes creative exploration within the idea of "play". Capoeiristas do not exactly compete in the rodas, but rather strive with their partner to produce the best game possible, and this understanding of play extends into other aspects of the capoeirista’s training.
The school further seeks to "promote cultural and human values" based on respect, freedom, integrity, and strength. Its social orientation also advocates community building, leadership in daily practice, and the pursuit of education. It hopes to accomplish these goals by spreading the art of capoeira in and through universities, schools, clubs, associations, and diverse communities. It also hopes to emphasize the cultural lessons inherent in its Brazilian roots, and by doing so, promote social integration between people of different backgrounds and classes. While keeping sight of its social goals, ABADÁ-Capoeira also seeks to instill good character, dignity, and strong personal values in its students. Training thus reinforces personal integrity and can offer personal and spiritual examination.
History and Mestres ABADÁ-Capoeira was officially established in 1988 in Rio de Janeiro. Mestre Camisa’s intention was to develop a group formally dedicated to the practice of the art which would also build a strong sense of family and community for the numerous capoeiristas. This worldwide community is guided by the school’s Mestres, who currently number six. In the tradition of capoeira, all practitioners are given an apelido, or nickname, establishing their identity within ABADÁ-Capoeira. Appelidos are typically assigned during batizado celebrations, when new members are welcomed into the community.
Mestre Camisa
Mestre Camisa, born José Tadeu Carneiro Cardoso, grew up on a farm known as Fazenda Estiva in northeast of Brazil, in the state of Bahia. He grew up with nine siblings, the eldest being Edvaldo Carneiro da Silva, who became the capoeirista Camisa Roxa. Mestre Camisa first began studying capoeira at about the age of seven, following the movements of others playing in neighborhood street rodas and instructed by his older brother Camisa Roxa, himself a student of the legendary Mestre Bimba.ABADÁ-Capoeira, New York. (24 April 2006) "Mestre Camisa's Bio" . About ABADÁ. Retrieved 18 July 2008.ABADÁ Capoeira, RPI. (27 July 2009) "Mestre Camisa and ABADÁ" . History. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
When Camisa turned 12 years old, Camisa Roxa convinced their mother to allow him to attend Mestre Bimba’s academy in Salvador, where he received more formal education in the art and was exposed to the diversity of practitioners gathered in the city. After about a year, Camisa became an Aluno Formado, a graduated student of Mestre Bimba.
In the early 70’s, Camisa joined his brother in a year-long tour of Brazil with the folkloric dance company Olodum Maré, also known as the Grupo Folclórico de Bahia,Almeida (1986, p.56) which performed traditional arts including capoeira. The tour included three months of performances in Rio de Janeiro before the troupe departed for a reformulated tour of Europe. Mestre Camisa stayed in Brazil, as he was supposed to return to Salvador to complete his studies; instead, he remained in Rio and began earning his living by teaching capoeira.
His first few months in Rio were difficult personally as he was basically poor and did not have established friends or connections in the city. He began to offer training in capoeira and slowly gained students. It was during this first period in Rio that Mestre Camisa first began to consider the need to design a formal structure for classes, to draw up a basic lesson plan, to create a place for studying and teaching, a place to debate techniques and discuss concepts. In addition, he felt the need to give a family-like structure to so many people who had left behind their cities and their friends and families and moved to Rio to dedicate themselves to capoeira. The latter was the main impetus for the creation of a new organization that would, in 1988, become ABADÁ-Capoeira.
Since the beginning of the 1980s, Mestre Camisa had been drawing on his experience in Mestre Bimba’s Academy to develop his own style and build his school. His unique technique and methodology improved the martial aspect of capoeira, and established him as the leading capoeira master in the world. Since he does not have a massive physique, Camisa developed a technique to neutralize his opponent with slips, takedowns, speed, and efficiency in the application of the moves, blows, and kicks. This technique allows him to face a bigger opponent under equal conditions.
Mestre Camisa is constantly researching capoeira and improving his style. He teaches workshops and seminars and attends batizados in Brazil and throughout the world. Through ABADÁ-Capoeira, Mestre Camisa is defining a new contemporary language of capoeira that seeks to respect and preserve the traditions and foundations of capoeira, and to follow all aspects of its evolution—as a martial art, as a playful game, as a source of rhythms and songs, and as a spontaneous art form—as the schools expand throughout the world. He has become eminently respected in Brazil and in the worldwide capoeira community for his contributions to the art. In Capoeira: A Brazilian Art Form, Bira Almeida, "Mestre Acordeon," notes, "Camisa [is] one of the best contemporary teachers and a very accomplished capoeirista, who has been training ceaselessly since he was twelve. Influenced by his older brother, Camisa Rôxa, Camisa's strong commitment to Capoeira is reflected in his maturity in the art and in the result of his work."Almeida (1986, p.47)
Grão Mestre Camisa Roxa Grão-Mestre Camisa Roxa was born Edvaldo Carneiro da Silva in 1944 and spent his childhood on the Fazenda Estiva, a farm in the interior of Salvador, Bahia. He was the eldest of ten children, and he was greatly respected by his younger siblings, a number of whom followed in his footsteps in life and in capoeira.ACNYC. (27 July 2009) "Grao Mestre Camisa Roxa" . ABADÁ Capoeira: Masters. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
As detailed by ACNYC: When he was 10 years old, Grão-Mestre Camisa Roxa began to play capoeira. At the time, it was only one of the many games he played to entertain himself and to pass the long hours of childhood. He had no idea that, 19 years later, he would be a professional capoeirista and the first to carry his art outside of Brazil, first to Europe and then around the world.
Camisa Roxa first made his name as a capoeirista in Salvador, Bahia, as a student of Mestre Bimba. In the 1960s, he left his family ranch for the capital city in order to complete his high school education. In addition to his school work, he also began studying capoeira at Bimba’s Academy. He was an apt and hard working pupil, and eventually gained recognition as Bimba’s best student.